Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
John Kasich presidential campaign, 2016/Federalism
From Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia's scope changes periodically, and this article type is no longer actively created or maintained. It may also contain neutrality issues.
 John Kasich |
Governor of Ohio (2011-2019) U.S. House, Ohio, District 12 (1983-2001) Ohio State Senate (1979-1983) |
 Republican candidate: |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
Judiciary
- John Kasich said that Senate Republicans should meet with Chief Judge Merrick Garland. He said, "I never thought the president should send it because I knew nothing was going to happen. Frankly, they probably ought to all sit down and meet with the guy. ... My feeling is, at the end of the day, whoever gets elected president should be in a position to be able to pick, you know, who they want and the American people will either decide by voting for a Republican or Democrat what the makeup of the court is." Kasich also said that he would consider nominating Garland, if he is elected president. Kasich said, "Well, you know, he received, you know, overwhelming support, I think even from Sen. Hatch, so of course we'd think about it. The way we do it, John [Dickerson], is we look at a person's record. I want a conservative who's not going to make the law but who will interpret the law and somebody of high standing. I don't care about their peccadilloes, you know, 30 years ago."[1]
- During an interview on March 19, 2016, Kasich said that he would have considered nominating federal judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. “Well, you know, he received overwhelming support, I think even from Senator Hatch. So, of course we'd think about it. The way we do it, John, is, we look at a person's record. I want a conservative who is not going to make the law, but who will interpret the law, and somebody of high standing. I don't care about their peccadillos 30 years ago,” said Kasich.[2] He clarified his comments on Garland while speaking to reporters later that same day. “In an effort to be polite today, I've created little bit of a situation. Look, you know, Garland is — I'm gonna have my own picks for the Supreme Court. You know, the fact is, I said that they ought to meet him and talk to him and, you know, I'm not gonna pick somebody who's, you know, obviously not a respecter of the Second Amendment. I don't want people making law and so, nobody should be confused, worked up or upset. He's not gonna be my pick for the Supreme Court,” he said.[3]
- During a campaign event on March 16, 2016, Kasich commented on President Obama nominating Chief Judge Merrick Garland to the United States Supreme Court, saying, "I didn’t think the president should send anybody up now, because it’s not going to happen. It’s just more division."[4]
- Although he said on February 14, 2016, that President Obama should not nominate anyone to the U.S. Supreme Court, John Kasich conceded that he would if he were president. “Of course I would send somebody. But it would probably be a different situation,” Kasich said, before noting that the “polarized” nature of Washington, D.C., will make the confirmation process contentious.[5]
- During the Republican presidential debate on February 13, 2016, Kasich said that he wished Antonin Scalia's death would not be politicized and recommended that President Obama either nominate a universally appealing judge or defer to the next president. He said, "The country is so divided right now, and now we're going to see another partisan fight take place. I really wish the president would think about not nominating somebody. If you were to nominate somebody, let's have him pick somebody that's going to have unanimous approval, and such wide spread approval across the country that this could happen without a lot of recrimination. I don't think that's going to happen, and I would like the President just to for once here put the country first. We're going to have an election for President very soon, and the people will understand what is at stake in that election."[6]
- Kasich also released the following statement on February 13, 2016, prior to the debate: "I am deeply saddened by the passing of Justice Scalia and send my prayers out for his family in this difficult time. His death is a serious loss to our nation and the Court. He was an essential, principled force for conservative thought and is a model for others to follow. His dedication to the Constitution and love for and service to our country will be deeply missed."[7]
- John Kasich appointed Appellate Judge Judith French to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2012. French "served as chief legal counsel for former Gov. Bob Taft from 2002 to 2004 and burnished her conservative credentials by arguing a landmark case defending Ohio's school voucher program before the U.S. Supreme Court," according to Cleveland.com.[8]
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- John Kasich suggested on September 8, 2015, that “dust-ups” like the jailing of Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis could drive young people away from religion. “In this case, when young people, or people who are looking at what is religion all about, what is faith all about -- when they see dust-ups like this, my concern is they would go the other way and say, 'Look, I don't want anything to do with that,’” Kasich said. He added that although he believes in “traditional marriage,” there are “bigger fish to fry in terms of the whole issue of faith.”[9]
- On September 6, 2015, Kasich said the Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on religious grounds “should follow the law.” He said, “Now, I respect the fact that this lady doesn't agree, but she's also a government employee. She's not running a church. I wouldn't force this on a church, but in terms of her responsibility I think she has to comply. I don't think – I don't like the fact that she's sitting in a jail, that's just absurd as well. But I think she should follow the law."[10]
- In 1999, Kasich voted for an amendment to HR 1501, which proposed allowing the "States to decide whether or not to display the Ten Commandments on or within publicly owned property."[11]
- In 1998, Kasich voted for HJ Res 78, which proposed securing "the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, including schools" and preventing individuals from being discriminated against because of religious beliefs.[12]
- In 1998, Kasich voted against an amendment to HR 2183, which proposed banning "soft money contributions to the Federal parties but not restrict it to State parties," increasing "the amount individuals and PACs can give by indexing their contribution limits to match inflation" and expanding "the disclosure of campaign finance information."[13]
Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)
- On April 10, 2015, John Kasich commented on whether Ohio needed a bill similar to Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act. He said, "I think we’re doing fine in Ohio. Everbody’s opinion has to be respected in all of this and we have to strike a balance...I don’t see a reason to do any more," according to The Columbus Dispatch.[14]
Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- On January 5, 2016, John Kasich commented on President Obama’s executive actions on gun control. He said, “You don’t just shove these things down their throat. All you’re doing is further poisoning the well. You have got to be able to get along with people who are the lawmakers and not just take it into your own hands, no matter how frustrated you get.”[15] [16]
- While speaking at an editorial board meeting of The Des Moines Register on December 17, 2015, Kasich said he opposed banning “assault weapons” and favored, instead, greater enforcement of existing gun laws. “The governor also said he would ‘scrub’ a no-fly list and give people on the list due process, but he would then not permit them to purchase guns.”[17]
- On December 6, 2015, Kasich said he was supportive of individuals on terror watch lists being barred from purchasing guns if it does not “tip somebody off that they’re under review.” He explained, “We want to make sure that we can exploit all the information that we possibly can get. So if all of a sudden you tell everybody who’s on the watch list that you can’t do this or that, then guess what happens. Then we lose our ability to track, we lose our ability to gather information, so I think we have to be careful.”[18]
- On December 3, 2015, night, Kasich argued that the San Bernardino, Calif., mass shooting was an act of terrorism, saying, “The FBI hasn’t said it, but I’m convinced it was a terrorist attack, that these people were inspired by ISIS, that they planned this over a long period of time and this was not about a distraught worker.” He added that “you’re not going to fix that problem by some kind of gun control.”[19]
- At the No Labels conference on October 12, 2015, Kasich attributed the rise in gun violence to a breakdown in familial and community relationships. "Where was Dad? Where was brother or sister? Where was neighbor? I mean, folks, our marriages, too many of them, have eroded. The relationships with our neighbors -- what's happened to the neighborhood? You see, we're all really our neighbor's keeper and we all have a responsibility to live a life bigger than ourselves,” said Kasich.[20]
- According to his website, Kasich is a gun owner and "a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and a strong advocate for gun owners. Whether for personal protection, hunting or recreation, Gov. Kasich and Lt. Gov. Taylor believe in your right to keep and bear arms."[21]
- His website also noted that "John Kasich has signed every piece of pro-Second Amendment legislation to cross his desk as governor, including legislation to expand Ohio’s concealed carry laws."[21]
- In 1999, Kasich voted for H.R.2122 - the Mandatory Gun Show Background Check Act, which proposed making background checks mandatory, in order to purchase a firearm at gun show.[22]
- In 1994, Kasich voted for President Bill Clinton's "assault weapons" ban legislation, according to Cleveland.com.[23]
- In 1993, Kasich voted against H.R.1025 - the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which, among other things, made background checks mandatory, in order to purchase a firearm.[24]
Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- At the fifth GOP primary debate on December 15, 2015, John Kasich talked about his support for collecting metadata on U.S. phone calls: “We know we have to hold this data for a longer period of time. ... Look, what a president has to do is take a position. We don't want to err on the side of having less. We want to err on the side of having more. That's good for our families. In addition to that ... there is a big problem. It's called encryption. And the people in San Bernardino were communicating with people who the FBI had been watching. But because their phone was encrypted, because the intelligence officials could not see who they were talking to, it was lost. We have to solve the encryption problem. It is not easy. A president of the United States, again, has to bring people together, have a position. We need to be able to penetrate these people when they are involved in these plots and these plans. And we have to give the local authorities the ability to penetrate to disrupt. That's what we need to do. Encryption is a major problem, and Congress has got to deal with this and so does the president to keep us safe.”[25]
Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- On the road in Michigan on September 1, 2015, John Kasich put forth his views on infrastructure and government regulation. “Let's keep our own money in our own states to do what we want with our own regulations, not with them scooping stuff off the top,” Kasich said. After the speech, Kasich stated in an interview with MLive, “You've got to maintain the interstate, but look that's a (federal) committee, they play a lot of pork. Why would we send our money there so they can send less back?”[26]
- In 1996, Kasich voted against H Amdt 1286 to HR 3396, which proposed allowing a state's definition of marriage to take precedence over the federal government's definition.[27]
Crime and justice
- After it was announced on December 28, 2015, that a grand jury did not indict two Cleveland police officer for the shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, John Kasich issued a statement urging residents “to turn frustration into progress.” He said, “Tamir Rice’s death was a heartbreaking tragedy and I understand how this decision will leave many people asking themselves if justice was served. We all lose, however, if we give in to anger and frustration and let it divide us. We have made progress to improve the way communities and police work together in our state, and we’re beginning to see a path to positive change so everyone shares in the safety and success they deserve.”[28]
- In 2011, Kasich signed a bill that allowed judges "to send non-violent fourth- and fifth-degree felons to community-based halfway-house facilities instead of prison" and increased "the earned credit system so that inmates can more quickly shave days off of their sentences," according to Cleveland.com. After signing the bill, Kasich said, "I don't want anyone to think we've lost discipline. You do bad. . . We're locking you up. But for someone that wants to do better, we're giving you a chance."[29]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term John + Kasich + Government
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ The Hill, "Kasich: Senate Republicans should meet with Garland," accessed March 20, 2016
- ↑ CBS News, "Face the Nation transcripts March 20, 2016: Kasich, Sanders, Graham," March 20, 2016
- ↑ NBC News, "John Kasich Walks Back Comments That He Might Nominate Merrick Garland for Supreme Court," March 20, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "Candidates Stick to Party Lines in Debate Over Supreme Court Nomination," accessed March 19, 2016
- ↑ ABC News, "John Kasich 'Would Send Somebody' to Supreme Court if He Were President," February 14, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedWaPo - ↑ NBC News, "How GOP Candidates Are Reacting to Justice Antonin Scalia's Death," February 13, 2016
- ↑ Cleveland.com, "Ohio Gov. John Kasich selects appellate Judge Judith French to fill vacancy on state's Supreme Court," December 20, 2012
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "John Kasich Worries Kim Davis Spectacle Will Turn People Away From Religion," September 8, 2015
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "Kasich: Kim Davis 'Should Follow The Law'," September 6, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.Amdt.200 to H.R.1501," accessed May 17, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H J Res 78," accessed May 17, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.Amdt.862 to H.R.2183," accessed May 17, 2015
- ↑ Columbus Dispatch, "Ohio Politics Now: Kasich talks religious freedom, Medicaid, running for president," accessed April 16, 2015
- ↑ New Hampshire Union Leader, "Kasich says Obama action on guns 'poisoning the well'," January 5, 2016
- ↑ The Columbus Dispatch, "Ohio Politics Now: Kasich calls Obama's executive orders 'poisoning the well'," January 6, 2016
- ↑ The Des Moines Register, "Kasich: No assault weapons ban, but enforce gun laws," December 18, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Kasich: Keep guns from those on no-fly list," December 6, 2015
- ↑ The Columbus Dispatch, "Kasich ‘convinced’ that San Bernardino attack was terrorism," December 4, 2015
- ↑ CNN Politics, "John Kasich links gun violence to decline of the family," October 12, 2015
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Kasich Taylor for Ohio, "Protect Your 2nd Amendment Rights," accessed May 17, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.2122 - Mandatory Gun Show Background Check Act," accessed May 17, 2015
- ↑ WBNS-10TV, "Kasich Feels Assault Weapons Ban He Once Supported Was ‘Not Effective,’" accessed December 31, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.1025," accessed May 17, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Rush Transcript second debate: CNN Facebook Republican Presidential Debate," December 15, 2015
- ↑ MLive, "GOP presidential hopeful John Kasich in Michigan: 'Can you guys just fix this road thing?'" September 1, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.Amdt.1286 to H.R.3396," accessed May 17, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "John Kasich calls for calm after grand jury declines to indict officers in Tamir Rice case," December 28, 2015
- ↑ Cleveland.com, "Ohio Gov. John Kasich signs sentencing reform bill that favors rehab over prison for non-violent felons," June 30, 2011
